Rock Software has quickly become one of the more, for the lack of a better word, interesting developers around. This is the company behind the ridiculous Chad Ochocinco Experience app and the same one that has plans for a similar Terrell Owens app.
And just when you think they can’t come up with a quirkier app, they release Mark Cuban’s Puzzle Palace. You know you’re in for quite a ride when the opening screen is a picture of Cuban with his arms raised in celebration.
Actually, I’m on record as being a big fan of the Chad Ochocinco app. And while assembling jigsaw puzzles of Mark Cuban’s face isn’t exactly my idea of a great time, others may disagree.
If you’ve already downloaded a jigsaw puzzle app for the iPhone, you’ll be in familiar territory with Puzzle Palace. The puzzles come from pictures in your phone’s album or one of the 24 preloaded Cuban-based images, such as photos of him playing baseball and basketball, or pictures from the Dallas Maverick’s arena. You can also take pictures on the spot and turn them into puzzles.
The app has three difficulty levels. You don’t have the option to rotate pieces, so even the hardest level isn’t all that difficult, and normally won’t take more than a couple of minutes to complete. It also allows you to post your scores to Facebook or Twitter.
That’s about the extent of the app. It’s a fun enough game, but it’s been done before and you can use the previous two paragraphs to explain any number of similar apps. Puzzle Palace is the same price (99 cents) and has the same features as the others — it’s just been Cuban-fied.
So while this app definitely rivals the Ochocinco Experience when it comes to ego stroking, it lacks the charm and originality of Rock Software’s initial release. Nothing sets this app apart from the crowd, and unless you prefer Mark Cuban puzzles over puppy puzzles, you will likely be left unimpressed.
